Marriott International Inc. has announced its acquisition of South Africa’s 116-hotel Protea Hospitality Group (PHG), Saudi Gazette has reported. This makes Marriott the largest hotel company in Africa, and nearly doubles its presence in the Middle East and Africa region to more than 160 hotels and 23,000 rooms. Marriott said that its pipeline of new hotels in the Middle East and Africa, including Protea’s pipeline, is now more than 65 hotels and 14,300 rooms, including more than 20 hotels and 3,000 rooms in Sub-Saharan Africa.